Pros

Charismatic engine

Grippy handling

Practical body

Cons

Lumpy ride

Lack of standard equipment

When German manufacturers decide to build a compact sports sedan they generally don't stuff about with eking the maximum performance from a minimum of engine capacity. The big players are Mercedes-Benz and BMW who shoehorn V8 engines into their C-Class and 3-series variants respectively to create the C63 AMG and M3, which are seen as benchmarks of the genre.

The pinnacle of Audi's efforts is the RS4 which, after a few years of being absent, is back. It too gets a V8 engine that is virtually a carryover of the hyper-revving 4.2-litre unit from the previous version.

And while its rivals have diversified into a variety of body styles, Audi has reverted to just the one shape. Yep, if you want the fastest version of the Audi A4 and are prepared to spend around $150,000 you'd better want a wagon. Audi calls it the Avant, and it's the one and only RS4 on sale.

What do you get?

Advertisement

With just the one RS4 variant available, it's a pretty easy car to categorise. Based on the mid-sized A4, it has been modified by Audi's performance offshoot Quattro GmbH for maximum performance which, as well as the 331kW V8, includes a seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual gearbox, stiffened and lowered suspension, 19-inch alloy wheels and subtly redesigned front and rear bumpers.

Standard equipment levels are high without being generous for the $149,400 price of entry. Things like powered leather seats and satellite navigation are standard, as are bi-xenon headlamps, a rear parking camera, motorised tail gate, keyless entry and ignition and tri-zone climate control.

If you're after heated seats, an anti-theft alarm, blind-spot assistance, a sunroof or larger 20-inch wheels you'll have to dive into the extensive options package when there are plenty of far cheaper cars offering this sort of stuff as standard equipment.

What's inside?

The interior is based on the now five year-old B8 version of the A4, making it entirely familiar for anyone who's ever sat in an Audi. That means plenty of black or dark grey trim and a fairly conventional dashboard layout with a central screen using a dial-based menu for functions such as navigation, trip computer, stereo and suspension settings. It also means peerless fit and finish, maximum legibility of the uncomplicated instruments and virtually fool-proof ergonomic simplicity.

Added to that, the RS4 gets a flat-bottomed steering wheel and sports seats – the latter being heavily bolstered and, combined with the car's lower ride height, pretty difficult for non-athletic drivers to slide in and out of. Once ensconced, the amount of side-support is excellent even if they are a little hard in the base.

Rear seat passengers get an adequate but not generous amount of leg room, but the RS4's packaging flexibility is obviously extended by the wagon body. The cargo area is spacious, the floor low and easy to access and the powered tail gate adds another level of ease to loading. Fold the back seats flat and it increases even further.

Under the bonnet

The 4.2-litre V8 is the heart and soul of the RS4. Unlike the lower-revving, turbocharged engines found in other Audi models this one is a screamer, developing its peak power at a heady 8250rpm, while maximum torque (or pulling power) of 430Nm arrives at 4000rpm.

So the temptation when driving is to use all the revs, holding gears and revelling in the heady exhaust note and rapidly escalating performance that Audi claims is in the region of 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds. The seven speed automated gearbox with dual clutches is almost as smooth as a conventional auto and of course, has a manual mode that can be operated by paddles mounted either side of the steering wheel.

But it's also happy to be driven more gently with the transmission set for auto, the engine burbling away merrily and still pulling strongly enough from low revs to give more than ample performance. It's also a good way to save fuel: fully extending the engine's rev band to shift the RS4's nearly 1.9-tonnes of mass will slurp through the recommended 98-octane fuel at a rate of more than 12.0 L/100km.

On the road

Quite apart from the strength and flexibility of the engine, the RS4's suspension set-up leaves no doubt this is a car built for maximum performance. The ride is stiff to the point of harshness, and delving deeper into the firmness settings via Audi's drive select system (which also varies steering and throttle response) only increases the way the suspension faithfully transmits every bump and ripple in the road surface through to the cabin.

The payback is in grip levels that no driver could sensibly want to exceed. The RS4's all-wheel-drive system ensures there's ample traction to inhibit wheelspin under acceleration even on slippery road surfaces, which together with minimal body roll and sticky tyres means corners are simply something to steer through and not necessarily plan ahead for.

Verdict

The RS4 is a taut and purposeful performance car so if it's driving excitement at any speed the buyer is after, it is unlikely to disappoint. Unlike most cars of its potential there's also the practicality of the wagon body, making it a very useful family car into the bargain.

The price tag is obviously high, but comparable or less than its two major rivals. Equipment levels could be better and more ride comfort would be appreciated but in all the RS4 is a pretty potent package.

14 comments so far

It always intrigues me that Subaru lost a perfect opportunity when they had the MY2003 H6 Outback and Liberty models, of similar shape to this Audi, that they didn't allow STI to work some magic on the 6 cylinder engine and suspension to give the market a great wagon with the renowned STI performance.In terms of body build,constant AWD, and reliability, this model could have set a "sports wagon" bench mark, and yet we now have reviewers drooling over Audi's with V8's.I know which one I would have, especially on servicing charges alone.

Commenter

garage man

Location

Date and time

July 14, 2013, 10:46AM

Sorry, but the Foresters and outbacks were rather bland to look at in my opinion.

Commenter

Timothy

Location

Melbourne

Date and time

July 15, 2013, 2:03PM

"could have".. nice. I was also supposed to be a rock star and it didn't happen. ..lets not forget about the fact that when you are sitting inside a sub-par roo, you'r sitting in a bin with wheels. Oh some of the bins go fully fast! Designs of late inspired by the result of a dog mating with a pig. Subaru owners will rant about how cheap they are - well they look it too. Cheap thrills for toy boys who like to play with stickers. But hey, you get what you pay for.No point comparing anything about these cars as they are not remotely in the same league. Compare a kia or Great Wall and you'll be in the right territory.

Commenter

Johnno

Location

Nth Sydney

Date and time

July 16, 2013, 9:50AM

the suby 6 had nothing left. you couldnt get 3kw extra out of it. have a look at what sti got out of the liberty later for $15K. near nothing. I think 8kw and 15nm or torque.it was a joke but didnt stop people buying them.my04 forester did get the treatment. 230kw and 500nm in a snip. wiith an sti block it would go to 330kw and 630nm odd. still with factory warranty. at 1400kg ( mostly aluminium body panels ) it rocks and even today will deal with an rs4 with few problems. I was surprised at how easily I could pull away from an xr6 turbo. power to weight baby. with a factory warranted chip it will run to 240kph. put your foot down at 160kph and it lunges forward as the odd 911, r33 and r34 have discovered.in saying all that audi did have the allroad 2.7tt way back in 2001. a more comfortable car than the forester but ludicrously priced at over $100K and needing 98. 98 which was near impossible to find back then. for about $15000 it could be turned into a $165K rs4 in one day. this is still 2001. my fully renovated 90sqm 3 bedroom apartment with lug and incredible views at dulwich hill was cheaper. back in 2001 331kw. nothing much has changed.

Commenter

smilingjack

Location

Date and time

July 17, 2013, 9:39PM

Johnno is exactly right. Spot on. Comparing a Subaru with an Audi is like comparing a Great Wall with a Bentley. Get back in your garbage bin with wheels, Garage Man.

Commenter

Cuda

Location

Date and time

July 18, 2013, 12:22PM

What is the point of vehicles like this, where even the softest suspension setting results in rattling one's fillings?

Commenter

Puffing Billy

Location

Date and time

July 15, 2013, 2:29PM

shouldn't you be asking whats the point of a SUV?love to own one of these my brother has a Audi S4 awesome careven though he is 200cm no issues with leg room compared with some large cars and especially 4WDs some he cannot even get behind the wheel due to his height

Commenter

Gheath

Location

Date and time

July 17, 2013, 5:23PM

Sorry Timothy, the Forester wasn't mentioned.The OUTBACK provided a perfect vehicle for an STI performance wagon, without resorting to a V8. For example just fitting dual exhausts on the MY2004 model, raised power from 160 to 180KW.Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but try comparing the shapes and you will possibly see the similarity to the basic design.

Commenter

garage Man

Location

Date and time

July 15, 2013, 10:23PM

MY2004 sti wagon is a beautiful car. I have the outback version which is less beautiful but much better than the current mess...err model..

I dislike most RS model Audi's except for the first V8 RS4 and the current TT RS. Both these models have powerful, characterful engines AND enjoyable handling. I cannot get excited about 'sports' cars weighing 2t and over. Fun in a straight line but eventually that gets boring.

Commenter

Danthecarman

Location

Date and time

July 17, 2013, 6:50PM

Should clarify, my comments were based on my H6 3litre engine, lots of potential.@danthecarman, you are spot on.